The National Science Foundation (NSF), in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), has named 10 finalists for the fourth annual Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC).

CCIC seeks to strengthen entrepreneurial thinking among community college students by challenging them to use science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) to find innovative solutions to real-world problems. Each student team works with a faculty mentor and industry partner to develop STEM-based solutions. Finalists attend an NSF-AACC-sponsored Innovation Boot Camp in Alexandria, Virginia, in June. At the boot camp, students interact with entrepreneurs and experts in business planning, stakeholder engagement, communication and marketplace dynamics.

"Many talented students may not have considered a career in a STEM field," said Jim Lewis, NSF acting assistant director for Education and Human Resources (EHR), the directorate that funds CCIC. "CCIC demonstrates the creativity of students in the nation's community colleges and provides an exciting opportunity for them to start thinking about STEM careers. Fostering talent from all over the U.S. is crucial to NSF's mission and our nation. I congratulate the finalists and look forward to seeing them and learning more about their STEM-based inventions."

Among the ideas teams presented this year are solutions for assisting those with knee injuries, detecting landmines left in place after armed conflicts and harnessing energy from waste products.

Teams consist of three to five students, a faculty mentor and an industry partner. The challenge requires teams to assess their innovation's potential impact, identify its scientific and market feasibility and determine its societal relevance. Teams then must submit written and video entries.

"AACC is pleased to continue its partnership with NSF and congratulates the 10 finalist teams of the fourth annual Community College Innovation Challenge," said Walter G. Bumphus, president and CEO of the AACC. "The students competing in this challenge are leaders in innovation, and their use of STEM solutions to benefit society are not only highly significant but necessary in helping to secure a strong future."

The 10 finalists are:

Central Lakes College, Minnesota: Supporting Our Service Members Supporting Our Service Members is a STEM approach that leverages mobile technology to help active military as well as veterans' families cope with stress, especially during a time of crisis.

Laney College, California: Integrated Thermal Electric Solar Water Heater Integrated Thermal Electric Solar Water Heater integrates a heat collector on the back of a solar electric panel to capture unused thermal energy to heat water for natural disaster victims, homeless individuals and those living or camping in isolated regions.

Northern Virginia Community College, Virginia: Chariteering Chariteering is a web-based platform that facilitates collaboration between individuals who need assistance in the wake of disaster and engineers or professionals who would like to volunteer to help find solutions.

Ohlone College, California: Drone System for the Detection of Landmines This project combines drone technology, nanotechnology and materials science to offer an inexpensive and safe way to detect landmines.

Red Rocks Community College, Colorado: Knee Assisting Exoskeleton The Knee Assisting Exoskeleton project attempts to reduce weight on the knee joint with a full leg exoskeleton, creating a brace that will assist patients with a faster and more efficient recovery.

Western Dakota Tech, South Dakota: Electrical Automation to Solve Hunger The Electrical Automation to Solve Hunger project involves an automated system that combines raising fish for food with a method of growing crops using minimal human involvement.

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CCIC finalists from Laney College's project would use heat water using waste heat from solar panels.Credit and Larger Version

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. In fiscal year (FY) 2018, its budget is $7.8 billion. NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 colleges, universities and other institutions. Each year, NSF receives more than 50,000 competitive proposals for funding and makes about 12,000 new funding awards.